The Great British Homebrew Challenge winner who brews beer in his small London flat

A 32-year-old London resident, who has been brewing beer at home for five years, has won The Great British Homebrew Challenge.

The winning beer – called 'Mr Smith Gose to...' after the well-known 1939 Frank Capra film Mr Smith Goes to Washington – was made by Josh Smith, who lives in a small flat in Stoke Newington.

'I've been brewing beer for around five years, starting with tiny stove top kits but slowly moving to more elaborate setups,' explained Josh. 'I'm still a small batch brewer compared to most, mainly making 10-litre batches in my kitchen and fermenting under my stairs. Having a small London flat means I have to adapt, but I think you can brew in whatever space you have, it's a pretty adaptable hobby.

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'I brew because I really enjoy the process of recipe creation and experimentation. I split lots of my batches into smaller sizes and add different ingredients to each, from hops to different fruit and other, sometimes strange, additions. Some turn out well, some less so, but it's great to push boundaries of the things you can make at home.'

Now in its fourth year, the competition sets out to find the best home-brewed beer in the country.

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The winning recipe was chosen by a panel of experts including Thornbridge's head brewer, Rob Lovatt, and Waitrose buying manager, Jamie Matthewson. The final product has been brewed by Thornbridge and sold at Waitrose shops across the country.

In its tasting notes, its description reads: 'Juicy watermelon flavours combine perfectly with the lemony Gose. Brilliantly refreshing and fruity with a salty, sharp twang, this is a fantastic twist on this traditional German style.'

'The beer was inspired by a watermelon, feta and mint salad recipe I really like,' said Josh. 'Watermelon works so well with salty flavours and I naturally made the connection to Gose - a sour and salty beer. I had tried Mello watermelon juice from Waitrose and was impressed by how much flavour it had, so used that in my beer. I'm so excited for Waitrose customers to try it, as I think it's quite unusual.

'This beer can be made into Mexican inspired cocktails too, like Michelada, and is also delicious mixed with tequila and lime.'

The Thornbridge 'Mr Smith Gose to...' Watermelon Gose (£1.99/330ml) is now available to buy in 70 Waitrose branches.